The present invention relates to sports training, and in particular to a basketball training machine with a motorized ball delivery device.
Training in sports involves the development of skills as well as physical conditioning. The game of basketball requires physical strength and conditioning, and also requires special skills. Successful development of those skills requires repetition during practice.
Although it is a team sport, basketball presents opportunities for an individual player to practice and improve his or her game without the need for other players to be present. A player can develop ball handling skills and shooting skills through individual practice.
Basketball players develop their shooting skills by shooting the basketball from various locations on the court. If a second player is not present to rebound, the shooter must rebound his or her own shots. The rebounding process can waste time that could otherwise be used in taking more shots. Over the past several decades, a number of ball collecting devices have been developed to collect basketball shot at the basketball goal (i.e. the backboard and the attached hoop and net). The ball collecting devices generally include netting and a frame for supporting the netting around the basketball goal. The ball collecting devices are often used with a ball delivery device, which directs the ball back to the player.
Motorized ball delivery devices can return basketballs to a shooter at various locations on a basketball court. The ball delivery device can have programs that determine which direction to return balls to the player, how many times to return the ball, etc.
Some basketball training systems also calculate shooting percentage. The system monitors how many balls are delivered to the player (which represents a number of shots taken), and how many shots go through the basketball hoop (i.e. shots made). The system calculates a shooting percentage based on the number of shots taken and the number of shots made.